Lotta Continua

Lotta Continua ("continuous struggle", in Italian) was a far leftextra-parliamentary organization in Italy. It was founded in autumn 1969 by a split in the student-worker movement of Turin, which had started militant activity at the universities and factories such as Fiat. The first issue of Lotta Continua '​s eponymous newspaper was published in November 1969, and publication continued until 1982 after the organization disbanded in 1976.

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Lotta Continua focused on spreading radicalisation from students and youth to workers, and played a large role in setting up social centres. Its influence was greatest among recently immigrated, young, unqualified workers in large factories, while the "traditional" working class kept its allegiance to the Italian Communist Party and the trade union movement.

Among the newspaper's enduring features was Roberto Zamarin's comic strip "Gasparazzo", which poignantly and humorously related the struggles of a worker at a Fiat plant.[1]

At first a loose grouping with a focus on spontaneous action, it was centralised between 1972 and 1974, with its paper becoming a daily. As opportunities became more limited, it disbanded in 1976 after a national congress characterized by a severe ideological clash between male and female militants. At that time, Sofri and others embraced electoral politics, while some militants joined terrorist organizations, including Prima Linea and the Red Brigades.[3] The newspaper was published until 1982.

During the 1980s, most of Lotta Continua 's representatives abandoned their original ideology. Marco Boato and Mimmo Pinto went to the Radical Party, others worked on TV (RAI or Fininvest) or in various newspapers. Many joined the Italian Socialist Party (PSI), supporting in particular Bettino Craxi's positions. Erri De Luca became a famous writer after joining various humanitarian organizations. Only a few of them, such as Marco Revelli or Fulvio Grimaldi, joined Rifondazione Comunista.

On 1 October 1977, during a protest march in Turin, activists allegedly attacked a bar with Molotov cocktails. Roberto Crescenzio, a 23-year-old student, died of burns sustained in this attack. Lotta Continua militants were accused of committing this attack, but were eventually cleared in court.[5]